The recently founded Cheetah Conservation Project Zimbabwe has started to collect cheetah pictures and sightings to help to conserve the wild cheetahs in the country. Using unique distinctive features within the spot pattern, the project will identify individuals to gather information on the cheetah population nationwide.

If you think all cheetahs look the same, check again! Although at first sight you might not see any differences, at second sight you will find that each cheetah has unique features within its spot pattern. Recognition of individual animals allows researchers to carry out detailed investigations of population densities, distribution, movement patterns, home range use, lifespan and reproduction.

The Cheetah Conservation Project Zimbabwe uses photographic identification as a simple non invasive method to identify individual cheetahs. Sightings and pictures of cheetahs from all over Zimbabwe will be added to the National ID database.

Cheetah once occurred throughout Zimbabwe, but is now believed to be largely absent from the north and east of the country. Unfortunately there are little data available on the occurrence of this shy and elusive carnivore and estimates of the number of cheetah in Zimbabwe range between 100 and 1500 animals.

Worldwide there are fewer than 10,000 adult cheetahs left in the wild. As a result, this beautiful spotted felid has officially been classified as ‘vulnerable,’ meaning they face a high risk of extinction in the wild. The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority recognizes the importance of the conservation of cheetah and has not only granted it a special protected status (meaning it can't be killed or moved without special permission), but has also outlined a conservation strategy for the species in a National Conservation Action Plan.

In order to successfully conserve cheetahs in the country it is agreed that knowledge on the biology of the Zimbabwean cheetahs needs to be improved. Which is exactly why the Cheetah Conservation Project Zimbabwe has set up the National ID data base. You can help to increase the knowledge on cheetah in Zimbabwe by sending your (old) sightings and pictures to cheetah@cheetahzimbabwe.org.

HNP 2008-2012 : 33 sightings, home range only male cheetah in area, death unknown, three days later new cheetah

The Septemeber 2012 issue of the Zambezi Traveller focused on cheetah and the amazing work done in preserving this magnificent animal in the Zambezi region.